Why Do Teenagers Gossip?

Being ̶0;In̶1;

• In many high schools, a teen is either ̶0;in̶1; or ̶0;out.̶1; Of course, most teens hope to be part of the in-group, and will take strong measures to get in and hold their place. The fact that there is a divide between the in-group and out-group means that something is keeping them apart, and artificially so. Gossip plays a major role in separating the in-group from the out-group. Teens in the in-group will spread rumors about those in the out-group, which propagate within the in-group. The result is out-group teens having a much harder time breaking out of their artificial label and becoming accepted as being ̶0;in.̶1; Gossip, in this sense, elevates the social status of in-group members while lowering the status of out-group members.

Competition

• One reason gossip is more popular among girls has to do with how teenage girls compete for boys̵7; affection. Traditionally, and in human evolution history, boys have been the active ones in actively seeking out mates. Girls, on the other hand, attract boys through their appearance -- both physical and social. Their social appearance is abstract and composed of what others say about them -- their reputation. When girls compete for a limited number of boys, they spread rumors to hurt one another̵7;s reputation, thereby increasing the possibility of winning boys̵7; affection for themselves. In this case, gossip within groups is more likely than gossip between groups or cliques.

Bullying

• Another reason gossip is more common among girls is its ability to replace physical aggression. When parents think of the stereotypical bully, an image of a large, male jock-type comes to mind. But what most parents don̵7;t consider is common bullying is among teenage girls. While physical violence is less common among teen girls, verbal abuse via rumors is highly prevalent. Teenage girls who want a sense of power or control in their lives might use gossip to bully other girls. In other situations, as Edward Dragan, researcher of bullying and author of ̶0;The Bully Action Guide,̶1; notes, it is a lack of attention that drives bullies to bully, which means that some girls spread gossip solely to gain the notice for starting a rumor. With today̵7;s children spending 25 percent of their computer time on social networks, gossip as a form of bullying has become a problem outside of school, as well.

Fighting Gossip

• Jennifer Sarazen, scholar on school bullying behavior and author of ̶0;Bullies and Their Victims,̶1; points out that teens who are the targets of nasty rumors and gossip avoid discussing their situation with their parents or teachers due to embarrassment. This means that parents who wish to take action need to actively engage their teens in discussion. The main focus should be on gathering information. Talk to your teen with a non-judging tone about the situation and note down the names of the gossipers. If the situation gets out of hand, contact the school. Inform the school that you are aware of certain types of gossip being criminal under the law, such as racial, sexual, or religious discrimination, and that you would like the contact information of the perpetrators̵7; parents. Contacting the parents, who probably do not know about the situation, is likely to alleviate much of the harmful gossip.